Gordon (35) lost four Coast to Coast finisher's medals in a house fire two years ago, and teamed up at the weekend with brother Dean (28), a teacher at Silverstream Primary School, to earn a replacement.
''I was a bit gutted, so I thought I'd better come back and get some more,'' Craig said.
''It feels good to have another of these medals back in my possession. It would be fair to say that I could be back to start collecting them more regularly now.''
The brothers cut the 243km multisport race out in 14hr 20min 38sec and finished second in the competitive family team section.
It was the first time Craig had contested the team section of the Speight's-sponsored Coast to Coast. His best result was a 10th place in his second attempt at the two-day section in 2005.
He had his first and only crack at the Longest Day the following year and it did not go well. After the run off Kumara Beach, he discovered his bike had been accidentally taken by a rival, and he was stranded until the competitor realised his mistake.
''I'd taken a couple of months off work to compete. It just mucked up the whole day.
''I just cruised through after that. I was probably as fit as I had ever been. But these things happen, I guess.''
It was extra special on Saturday for the Gordon brothers as their parents, Donald and Joan, from Waihola, and younger sister Jacinta, a Dunedin nurse, were among their support crew.
There was drama for Craig when he holed his boat on the first rapid in the gorge. He pulled over and used duct tape to make repairs. He then showed his chivalrous side by helping retrieve a paddle for a woman who had fallen out of her kayak.
For honeymooners Michael and Signe O'Brien, married life is on the up now they have got the Coast to Coast out of their system.
The first thing Signe told husband Michael as she crossed the finish line was: ''That was brutal.''
Signe was describing the 70km ride to Sumner.
Michael, because of an injury suffered in a climbing accident a few years ago, had to run the 3km off Kumara Beach with the aid of sticks.
The two finished 10th in the mixed teams section in 16hr 12sec.
